


Heliotrope

by dyodorant



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: EXO - Freeform, KaiSoo - Freeform, M/M, confused jongin, fae!soo, kadi - Freeform, mentions of nudity and abuse, pardon my poor writing...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 15:12:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14876153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dyodorant/pseuds/dyodorant
Summary: When Jongin comes home to find a Fae eating the flowers in his garden, perhaps he’ll get more than he bargained for.Warnings: Mentions of nudity and abuse. FLUFF





	Heliotrope

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for the No One Dies This Time fic fest but due to circumstances, I decided to post it now after dropping out. For the prompter of J30, I hope you see this and I hope dearly that you like it!~
> 
> Please Don't Copy or Repost!

Most Fae love eating all kinds of flowers, but one, in particular, is picky and very selective. Kyungsoo only likes these small purple flowers, Heliotrope someone once called them. They’re such a hard flower for Kyungsoo to locate, so when he saw that a very beautiful man was planting them behind his house, Kyungsoo was ecstatic! He decided he’d go back and sneak a few flowers for himself, there’s so many he’s sure the man wouldn’t notice. 

When Kyungsoo figured it was safe, he ventured back, slowly emerged from the woods. He takes cover in a few small bushes bordering a large field (the man’s ‘yard’). The flowers grow and pop from the ground almost 12 feet away from where he’s currently squatting, if he turns to his right the man’s house is almost 30 feet away. but if he’s not careful he could easily get caught.

He starts messing with the dirt as he looks around the area. The only thing to greet him is the sweet scent of freshly planted blossoms and cool fresh air. Kyungsoo smiles to himself, humming softly. He stands from his spot in the shrubbery and cautiously walks forward and around the house, his pointy ears perking up at any sound, worried that someone might approach. Kyungsoo decides to stay near the edge of the flowers, hoping the lack of flowers would be a little less obvious once he’s done. 

He plops down, sitting cross-legged in the soil. He greedily looks at all the pretty blooms in front of him, excited to just start picking them. He smiles widely, his cheeks growing and looking around as a summer’s peach. Kyungsoo grabs two different sections of flowers from where he sits, he yanks hard, the sound of stems and leaves snapping ring in his ears. He should savor them a bit, but he’s just so excited that he can’t help but shove flower after flower into his mouth, hardly even chewing properly. 

He gulps down what he jammed in his mouth before grabbing at another handful. His crunching is exceptionally loud, comparable to when a horse eats a large apple. Kyungsoo sways from side to side, happiness running throughout his whole body. His hands and nails caked with dirt, small chunks of flower and leaf sticking to his skin. He lets out a squeal, eyes turning into small crescents. It’s been so long that he’s had these flowers, he just can’t help himself.

\- 

Jongin steps outside, his boots hitting the freshly turned soil. He looks around at his bed of flowers, a smile creeping up on his lips. The sweet scent hits his nose, greeting him joyously. He got his love for flowers from his mother. She used to love them, her favorites were lilies but Jongin likes the scent of heliotrope. Before she died, she’d wanted to open her own flower shop, something Jongin would have loved as well. He’d just recently started planting them, he found a vendor who had pregrown them, all that was left was to set them where you pleased.

It wasn’t exactly cheap to buy as many as he did, but he couldn’t resist once he saw them. He’d been planting them for the last two weeks or so, taking his time and spreading them with enough room so the roots would have plenty of space to grow.

Jongin walks around, checking on his flowers and watering them with a hose and showering them lightly with fertilizer. He pauses, noticing a dark shape on the horizon. He can’t tell exactly what it is due to the bright sun setting in front of his gaze but it’s large enough he feels a bit uneasy. He quietly set the hose on the ground, choosing to grab for a shovel that’s currently propped against the house. With quiet, careful steps Jongin moves closer, his eyes never leaving the dark lump. The closer that he gets, he realises it’s a person sitting there. The loud crunching reaches his ears, are they... eating his flowers? 

Jongin inches closer, drawing within ten feet of the person. His eyes widen at what he sees. Jongin looks over the young, thin Fae. His dark, magenta-tinged black hair boyishly messy. His skin a soft, pink iridescent shade that shimmers in the sun. It looks as if small, nearly invisible specks of glitter adorn his skin and accentuate his angles. Jongin wonders, for a single moment, if he were to reach out and touch the Fae; would the glitter rub on to his hand?

The Fae notices him, his movements and chewing halt. He stiffly looks up with impossibly large eyes, his mouth stuffed to the brim with flowers and even more grasped between his hands.

Jongin snaps out of his daze, the both of them stare at each other as if time had frozen. He reaches down and grabs a hold of the Fae’s arm, roughly pulling him up to stand. A small gasp leaves the boy’s mouth, he drops the flowers in his hand, letting them drop lifelessly to the ground. Jongin almost feels the urge to laugh at the sight of him, wide-eyed and mouth overflowing. 

Kyungsoo feels taken aback by the man’s beauty up close rather than from where he’d found purchase on the ground. He stands tall, and strong, much unlike Kyungsoo himself. His hair is a pretty shade of silver, a lovely contrast to his golden skin. He admires the man’s jawline, so sharp is could probably cut him if he were to run his finger over the skin.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He asks. His voice, Kyungsoo notes, is as warm as his skin. Despite his honey voice, his words shake him to the core. He pulls on his arm harshly, retrieving it from the man’s grasp. He hesitates only a moment before turning on his heels and running as fast as he can towards the tree line. 

He easily avoids the flowers on the ground in his retreat, how tragic it’d be if they’d be wasted in such a sense. The man is quick to follow him. Kyungsoo looks back over his shoulder, startled to see how fast he actually is. Jongin yells for him to stop, his voice testing the capabilities of his vocal cords. 

Jongin nearly catches him several times, but due to the fact that Kyungsoo knows these woods like the back of his hand, he gains a small lead. He ducks behind trees, blocking himself from sight. When he feels he has a chance, he ventures a bit deeper away from the spot where he’d hidden, taking respite behind a small boulder nestled beside some large trees. His heart pounds aggressively, adrenaline rushing through his body. 

He should have been more careful and paid more attention, those flowers aren’t exactly fair game. The man continues to yell after him, his voice growing fainter and fainter. Kyungsoo praises himself for being able to escape, but a wick of guilt slaps him back to reality. He shouldn’t have just taken them, the least he could have done was ask the man, but the temptation poisoned his brain and clouded his judgment. He isn’t usually one for causing trouble but when he gets an idea, it infests his thoughts and plagues his conscious.

Kyungsoo is more on the timid side, never trying to stir up drama, he always wants to make people happy and content. When he was a child he’d cry over the smallest things. When he was a kid, playing with his brother and chasing bugs around was a common thing. He hadn’t known touching a butterflies wings would kill them. He’d felt so guilty about hurting the butterfly, he parents weren’t even aware it was possible to cry so much over something so small. 

>>>

The voices inside the large meeting room echo, bouncing off the walls and settling into the tense atmosphere. Jongin sits with his spine perfectly straight, his eyes resting on the wooden table top in front of him. 

“We can’t continue to allow these creatures to do as they please! They’re destroying our communities and our homes! Our people are no longer safe around them!” one of the councilmen says with a raised voice, his eyebrows furrowed heavily. Jongin nods his head slightly, silently agreeing with the man. The room turns loud with people muttering, similar words of agreement being spouted out, while others yell words to the opposite effect. Jongin doesn’t understand it, doesn’t understand how someone can think that those monsters were safe to be around, that they wouldn’t kill a human if they were to get within 100 yards of them. 

“That’s ridiculous! If anyone of you would just spend one day with them, one day, and you’d see that they’re not dangerous! I can promise you, every one of you is more dangerous than they are! Where they cause damage by accident, you people cause pain with intent!” A woman screams, the room growing quiet. Some people began murmuring words of encouragement. 

“You think they’re so dangerous, but you’ve never even gotten close to them. You see them at their worst, locked behind a glass wall, scared and in pain. When they lash out for being taken from their homes, you claim it to be their natural behavior. You people are the monsters but you can’t see past your own noses for one second. You’re ignorant and it’s a disgrace to the whole human race.” Another says, her words firm but full of emotion. There’s a strong air about her, warning people that she won’t back down. 

Jongin stands from his seat and storms out of the conference room, the door slamming closed behind him. The words said in the meeting hang around him, rampaging in his head. He can feel a migraine begin to build, so he massages his neck to try and force it away.

Baekhyun joins him at his side after walking out of a different door connected to the large room. He puts a hand on his shoulder, squeezing softly.

"You doing ok?" He asks, lips puckering slightly. A beat of silence, a moment of hesitance before a nod. Jongin bobs his head, but he feels something is off. He feels anger, irritation at the woman at the meeting, but here, being with Baekhyun, he feels something akin to guilt and it lights something inside of his chest. He glances at Baekhyun, studying his face carefully. 

“What did you think of it in there?” He asks, his voice low as to make sure nobody overhears. Baekhyun’s eyebrows come together, confused at Jongin’s question.

“Why are you asking now? You’ve never seemed to care before.” He asks, deciding to leave out the bitter comment about the sudden interest. The taller of the two shakes his head, turning his attention to the floor. He clenches his teeth, the muscles in his jaw visibly clenching.

“It’s nothing.” He says before walking past him. His shoes falling heavily against the floor. Baekhyun turns and watches him go, concerned about the man but knowing better than to follow him when he’s in this kind of mood. No, he’s never cared enough to ask Baekhyun’s opinion about the Fae and other creatures.

Jongin has never had a good encounter with these creatures. They have many species, different names, and different cultures. Jongin hates them all. He was recruited to join the agency when he was young so hating them is all he knows. His mind was set, from a young age, with the concept of hunting, capturing, and bringing them in. In the beginning, he wasn’t sure what they do with them, but it’s not his job to know. So he pretends as if he doesn't.

~~

After a long day at work, Jongin walks in the front door of his house, his exhaustion the night before leaving him little to no energy left to care if it was locked. He flops down on his sofa, leaning his head back. He sighs heavily, running his hands over his face and through his hair. 

His muscles feel tense, more so than when he comes back from hunting or training. It’s always like this after a meeting, his head always feels foggy. He always feels a provoked irritation itching under his skin. His muscles always beg to relax, crying for some much needed rest. 

Jongin closes his eyes and instantly feels the fatigued burn that haunts him. He’s tired, not just physically but in a way explain or even understand it. Something is dragging him down, weighing on his mind nearly every day. He used to be fine, used to be different, but one night, after an exhausting nightmare he’s never been the same. He can’t remember the dream but it nags at him, pulls at his brain and begs for his attention. 

He cracks his eyes open as he sits forward, bringing his elbows to rest on his knees and his head in his hands. Another deep sigh leaves his lips. A drop of sweat slides down his neck, sneaking underneath his shirt. His skin is damp and glistening from the hot temperature of summer. He relents to his bodies demands and gets up from the couch to make his way up the stairs. 

Once in his room, he removes his damp shirt from his body, it slightly sticks to his body as he pulls it off. He drops it on the floor for him to clean later when he isn’t so keyed up. He drops fingers to the button on the front of his jeans. It pops it open with little effort. The zipper slides down slowly, allowing the denim to open and fall away from his body ever slightly.

His skin buzzes in the heat of his bedroom, a thin sheen of sweat coating every inch of the warm caramel tone. He runs a hand over his toned stomach, the skin wet and slick. He presses fingertips into the warm flesh. A soft groan slips up from the bottom of his throat, the pressure sparking both pain and pleasure to run through his body. 

Goosebumps rise on his arms and torso. His skin is more sensitive than usual, easy to provoke and stimulate. His body runs instantly cold and his heart freezes in his chest when a loud crash breaks the silence of the house. He grows rigid, heart pounding in his chest. He turns towards the open door, his eyes scanning for anyone who might run past but nothing happens. 

He takes a few steps forward, peaking his head out the door and looking down both ends of the hall. Nothing. He releases a bated breath, his body tense and on high alert. He makes slow steps towards the stairs, peering down but not seeing anything strange save for a toppled pile of his books. He approaches the mess and peers down at them. He looks around for anything else that may be out of place, but he concludes that there’s nothing more after searching the rest of his house. He looks for near to an hour only to end up staring at the mess on the floor once more. 

He bends down and picks up a small flower that peeks out from underneath a dark blue book. He plays with it in between his fingers, the image of a small, devious Fae, dancing through his mind. His jaw clenches firmly. He quickly straightens back up and storms towards the back door, swinging it open. He scans the backyard, eyes landing on a small section of flowers he previously planted, there’s a large space a dirt where a bunch of his flowers used to reside. A few small flowers remain standing but the rest of the plucked straight from the ground, dirt overturned and messy. 

Jongin’s eyebrows furrow further as he looks between the small flower bed and the lonesome head in his fingers. He’s so focused on the mess that lies near him that he misses the set of eyes watching him from overtop the fence that disconnects his yard from the deep woods.

~~

Nearly a week after his close capture, Kyungsoo feels his mind wandering back to the man and his flowers. Nothing had satisfied his growing desire for the Heliotrope, or the man’s attention, despite his hostile tendencies towards him.

The Fae made up his mind to give in to his desires. So, he finds himself making his way back to the man’s house.

~~

Kyungsoo watches the beautiful man leave his house, The human locks the front door behind him before jogging down the porch and getting into his car. The engine starts with a low rumble, he pulls out the driveway drives forward slowly, the sound of gravel crunching underneath the tires. 

He watches the car drive away, waiting anxiously for it to disappear from sight. He sneaks out from his hiding place and happily jogs around the house, towards the bed of flowers he dearly loves. 

He crouches down, his little toes wiggling in the dirt beneath his feet. Kyungsoo feels his happiness bubble up as he sees all the flowers he ate before were replaced with new, fresh ones. He plucks one from the ground, a wide smile on his lips. 

Raising the flower to his nose, he takes a small whiff of the pretty scent. He traps one of the petals between his teeth, pulling it till it comes off with a small snap. He chews is slowly, loving the texture on his tongue. A small squeal makes its way out of his throat before he shoves the rest of it in his mouth, stem and all. 

With the distraction of the flowers and the sound of his chewing, Kyungsoo doesn’t hear the footsteps approaching behind him. He grabs another tuft flowers at once and rips all of them from the ground, hungrily biting the buds. He reaches to grab more but a hand grabs his wrist stops him. Kyungsoo whips around but loses his balance and falls flat on his butt. His eyes widen when he sees Jongin, the man looming over him with a scowl on his face. 

Kyungsoo finds looking up into the dark choco eyes extremely hard. His cheeks flame up, a deep blush warming his entire face and the tips of his pointy ears. Kyungsoo feels shocked and embarrassed, remembering he still has flowers hanging from his mouth and his cheeks are bulging from how many he shoved in there at once. He notices though, that the man looks absolutely pissed as he gazes down at him. 

“Who the hell are you?” The man hisses, he yanks on Kyungsoo’s wrist causing the boy the launch forward onto his feet. He doesn’t expect the action and once again loses his balance but falls forward this time. He outstretches his hands instinctively and catches himself on the strong, warm chest in front of him. Jongin grimaces at how close they are, he roughly pushes Kyungsoo off his chest.

Looking up, he gulps down the flowers. The look that he receives makes all the blood drain from his face, making his already pale skin even lighter. Jongin’s muscles pull at his shirt in a way that makes Kyungsoo’s mouth feel like he’s sucked on a ball of cotton. His eyes roam over the expanse of his chest and arms growing oblivious to the way Jongin is looking at him. 

“Answer my question.” He says, his voice rough. Kyungsoo looks into his eyes, his cheeks blushing heavily. Kyungsoo looks down at the ground, playing with the edge of his thin white clothing. 

“My name is Kyungsoo.” He says softly. He curls his toes twice, one of his nervous habits kicking in. Jongin looks the boy from head to toe, annoyance in his body language but somehow, this boy in front of him almost makes him feel calm. The feeling making his blood run hot with anger.

“Why are you here? Why are you eating my damn flowers again?” He asks, voice raising in volume slightly. Kyungsoo looks down at the small patch where the flowers used to sit, now just a blank space of dirt. He looks up at Jongin guiltily, he bites his lip softly and looks away. 

“They’re my favorite.” He says, a mere whisper. 

 

“So you think that means you can just take mine?” He asks. He hates these creatures, hates them with a passion, but he doesn’t want to do anything he might regret. He should yell at this fae, tell him to get away from him and his home but he can’t do anything to reinforce it. He may hate them but this thing is so small he looks like a simple light breeze could blow him away. Jongin’s scowl hardens, he crosses his arm. 

“Nobody sells them anymore, never even plants them...” He says timidly. Jongin’s brows furrow, his lips falling into a frown. 

“You need to leave.” Kyungsoo looks up at him, his eyes wide and lips slightly pouted. He knots his finger in the short legs of his pants and lowers his head. The heated look in Jongin’s eyes scolds Kyungsoo harshly. 

“I’m a hunter. You should know how we feel about your kind, I won’t hesitate next time I see you.” He turns away, barely able to rein in his temper. He walks away from the scene, crushing soil and rock under his shoes. Kyungsoo watches him go, a strange feeling settling inside his chest.

Tears well up in Kyungsoo’s eyes, his lower lip wobbling slightly. Why doesn’t Jongin like him, if he hadn’t eaten his flowers, would Jongin feel differently? Kyungsoo bends down, grabbing a fist full of flowers and ripping them up from the ground, grasping them firmly in his hand. If Jongin is going to ban him from coming back, then he might as well get his revenge now.

His eyes sting as one small tear drips from his eyes, he blinks the rest away, making a few more fall in the process. He bends and rips several more plants from the dirt. 

“I’m taking these!” He yells at the top of his lungs. Once he feels satisfied he storms off, making his way back home. A strange sadness flows through him. He mumbles words of comfort to himself. He wonders why he feels so sad. Is it because he was yelled at? Because Jongin doesn’t like him? Is it because of the flowers? He isn’t sure and it’s frustrating him.

>>>

For several days, Kyungsoo thought about what had happened. He kept wondering why Jongin is so mean to the Fae. He kept remembering how Jongin looked at him. A look filled with disdain, one that still hurt K-Soo. It also came with a desire to understand the young man.

He walks towards the man’s home, determination set in his steps but nervousness playing in his heart. He bites his lip, thinking over and over about what he’s going to say. His fingers anxiously knot themselves in his loose, pink sweater. 

His steps grow more timid the closer he draws towards his destination, his anxiety peaking. Ignoring the dread in his chest, he doesn't turn back. He hates to admit it, but he’s scared. He sees the opening in the trees and with it, the black steel fence. He speeds up his steps till he peeks out from the forest. 

Within the first glimpse, he sees Jongin kneeling in the dirt, most likely replanting the blooms Kyungsoo ripped up in his heated retreat.

Kyungsoo hesitates for a moment, subconsciously pulling his lip between his teeth. Anxiety seeps into his actions as he worries about the man’s upcoming reaction. His grip tightens on the soft sweater in his hands. He starts on his way towards the yard. Jongin hears Kyungsoo’s steps behind him, so he turns halfway to see who it is before jumping up from the ground. He almost looks surprised to see Kyungsoo there. Jongin takes a step back, accidentally crushing some flowers in the process. He curses under his breath, a frown on his face. 

“What are you doing here? I told you not to come back.” He looks weary and annoyed. His tone doesn’t necessarily feel like an attack towards Kyungsoo which makes the small Fae smile up at him. 

“I came to talk to you.” He says making Jongin tear his gaze away from the blue blooms to glance up at him. Jongin’s expression confuses Kyungsoo.

“To talk…? I told you not to come back.” He hesitates. His mouth draws into a deeper frown. He shakes his head as he bends and picks up his gardening tools. He heads back to his house, no intention of speaking to Kyungsoo, but he knows well enough that the Fae will follow him around till he hears him out.

“You did, but I didn’t say I wouldn’t!” He exclaims as he follows close behind Jongin. His steps are a little rushed as he tries to catch up, he realises then just how large the difference is between their strides. Kyungsoo looks at the man from top to bottom once again. His eyes lingering on Jongin’s long, slim legs. 

Jongin, oblivious to Kyungsoo’s lingering gaze, steps over a small hedge bordering his front porch before stepping into his garage. He sets everything down in their place, making sure to not leave a mess inside. He turns, seeing Kyungsoo hovering in the large doorway. His eyes are wide and his hands are fidgeting.

“Make it quick and then leave, I’m busy.” He says moving Kyungsoo out of the way so that he can lower the door. Kyungsoo follows close behind. Jongin stops in front of the door and turns, leaning against the frame. 

“Talk.” He raises an eyebrow. Kyungsoo releases an extended ‘uhh’, his eyes wandering between different spots. Jongin grows annoyed at his hesitance.  
“Say what you want to say.” He looks away and sighs. Kyungsoo looks over his face, blushes. He feels butterflies soar in his tummy, he looks somehow the same but different today. 

 

“I can’t stop thinking about what you said last time. I understand that you’re a hunter, but I don’t get why you hate Fae so much” His voice is quiet, but with the close proximity between them and the environment they’re in, he’s easily heard but the hunter. Jongin looks at the Fae, his eyebrows drawing closer together. He inhales deeply, holding it in before letting it out. 

“That’s not really any of your business.” He asks, his voice growing as guarded as before. Kyungsoo looks at him and tilts his head a little. 

“Well, if you don’t tell me why, then I can’t show you reasons why Fae should be loved!” He exclaims. Kyungsoo’s words strike a chord within him. Never once has anyone said this to him before. They always tell him that he’s wrong for thinking the way he does, that he should think they way they do because they’re the ones that are right. He’s never had someone, never heard of someone giving a view of their side of things, it’s always just endless arguments. It’s always ‘I’m right, you’re wrong. It’s a war,’ there’s no room for anything but. 

Jongin suddenly remembers a time in his childhood, a time without this conflict, a time where everything felt so peaceful. Jongin remembers his parents, the two people he had missed dearly. He remembers the warm, bright sun, the cool breeze against his skin. He can even faintly remember their voices if he focuses hard enough. He feels the same amount of happiness he had the day before they left him. 

“Tell me Jongin.” He says gently, he reaches out a hand and gently touches Jongin’s own. The taller man looks at him with a strange look in his eyes. He stares at Kyungsoo’s face, examining every line, every inch of baby pink skin. The gentle tone shimmering in the light that’s over them. His eyes follow the curve of Kyungsoo’s plump lips and the gentle slope of his nose. 

He clears his throat, growing incredibly uncomfortable from his train of thought. He slips his hand out from under Kyungsoo’s, rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous habit. Kyungsoo grabs both of his wrists, gently but firmly, and looks him in his eyes. He can feel Jongin's pulse under his thumbs, the pace of his heart is fast, much faster than Kyungsoo would have thought. 

“I hope that maybe one day you can let me help you. We may have only met twice and under strange circumstances, but I like you. I want to help.” He whispers, he raises the corner of his lips in a gentle smile. He once again pulls his hands away from Kyungsoo, he pushes him away, assertive but not rough.

Kyungsoo knows he’s a hunter, knows the depth of the title and the danger he could get himself into, but he also knows that if Jongin wanted to hurt him, he’d have done it already.

 

“I think you should go.” Jongin mumbles. His voice rumbles from deep in his chest.

Kyungsoo says Jongin’s name, so softly that the latter can feel goosebumps rising on his arms. He knows though, that he has to be patient with him. That even if Jongin doesn’t say anything now, he believes they’ll grow closer, he can feel it.

“Go.” He grows quiet, refusing to look over at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo nods softly, offering a gentle smile. 

“I’ll see you soon Jongin.” He promises softly. Jongin spares him a glance as he turns and walks away. His fluffy hair blows in the breeze, looking soft as a feather. Jongin stands in a slight daze, he watches the space Kyungsoo left behind, still able to see the gentle eyes look up at him. 

>>>

Sweat soaks their clothes, drips from their skin and drenches their hair. Both of the boys are panting heavily, exhausting themselves of all the energy they have inside their bodies. Jongin grunts, throwing a punch at Baekhyun who easily dodges it. Baekhyun glares at him, the tension from his body gathering into the expression on his face. 

Baekhyun fires back with a high kick with his left leg, but Jongin uses both of his arms to block the attack. He grabs Baekhyun’s leg and pushes them both to the ground. Jongin’s shoulder knocks the breath out of him, his body growing sluggish from exhaustion.

Baekhyun starts punching in a desperate attempt to get Jongin off of him. Before he can fend off the other man, Jongin wraps one arm around Baekhyun’s neck and the one still holding tightly to the smaller man’s thigh.

“Ok, ok. You win! Let me go.” He taps out, his words are breathless, nearly as powerless as his body feels in Jongin’s grasp. Jongin breathes a laugh next to Baekhyun’s ear, a smile lazily stretching across his lips. 

“Where’s the fun in just letting you go? Wouldn’t it be better to just stay and cuddle this way? I bet your boyfriend would love that.” He asks, giving a small squeeze. Baekhyun grunts and pushes against him, hoping Jongin will give up. 

“Down boy!” Baekhyun yells. Jongin chuckles again before relenting. He lets go, feeling his muscles weaken from exertion. He flops backward, not bothering to remove his legs from Baekhyun’s body. The older boy just moves away from him and lies on his side, the cool mat feeling amazing against his heated skin. 

Their gasps for air fill the empty room with sound, Jongin sighs, and shifts around, his muscles cramping begging to rest somewhere comfy.

“Any news on your flower thief?” Baekhyun asks, his voice echoing. Jongin rolls his head to the side, looking at Baekhyun’s deflated figure. He sighs again and stares up at the ceiling, his arms are splayed out to the sides. 

“He keeps coming back, I just want him to leave me alone.” Baekhyun looks toward him, folding his arms before resting his head on top of them. 

“If you want him to leave so badly why don’t you just do what you usually do?” There’s a long pause, Baekhyun watches Jongin gather his thoughts. A grunt leaves his throat as he shakes his head, hair messily falling in every direction. 

“I don’t even know. I want to but he just...” He stops, unsure of what he’s trying to say. He has so many thoughts flying through his brain but none of them make any sense.   
“I should hate him, right? I should be telling him to go away, be assertive, right? So why can’t I?” He sighs, tired and frustrated. He brings his arms in and rests them against his chest.  
“I don’t understand. He’s so damn annoying, he keeps killing my flowers! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to replant them because of him and he just comes back every time.” He trails off. 

There are so many things he feels, frustration, anger, annoyance. Something nags at him though, when he sees Kyungsoo, he looks warm. He’s timid and boyish, he’s gentle. Jongin hates him for what he is, so why does the Fae continue to linger in his thoughts.  
“It feels wrong Baekhyun.” His voice is merely a whisper. Baekhyun nearly missed what he said but to look on the younger’s face confirmed what he did, indeed, hear.

“What does?” He asks the most obvious question in Jongin’s opinion, though the boy can’t hear his thoughts and doesn’t know the demons he’s fighting. He looks at Baekhyun again, blinking slowly. His hair sticks to the mat and pulls a little at the movement. 

“I was practically raised to believe that they are bad, I’m a hunter for fuck’s sake.” Baekhyun sits up, his hands dropping into his lap.

“No offense Jongin, but if you really feel the way you do about this if it’s really tearing you up. Isn’t it obvious there’s something that needs reevaluating? Something as simple as this shouldn’t be a problem if you truly felt it was right. So what’s really bothering you?” He asks, voice gentle but firm. Jongin freezes, his body growing stiff.

“Honestly Jongin, I think you should give Kyungsoo a chance. Despite being so against supernaturals, your subconscious is clearly trying to tell you something. I want you to try, put away what you know, what you’ve learned and just feel. Your heart will know what to do.” He says, cringing at how ridiculously cheesy that sounded. It’s the only thing he can think to say right now, but it feels right.

“Well… What do I do? I’m not exactly versed in befriending Fae.” He mumbles a slight, nearly unnoticeable pink tinge to his cheeks. Baekhyun stops and thinks for a moment, humming softly. 

“You could buy a cake.” He says. Jongin’s brows furrow, a frown pulling at his lips.

“Cake?”

“Yeah, Fae love sweets! You could get some mini cupcakes or macaroons. Oh! Strawberries. Too, definitely get some strawberries. Just… be friendly, alright? He’ll see your efforts.” 

“Thanks.” He says simply. He’s not great with words, especially those relating to gratitude. Jongin smiles at him, gratitude isn’t something Jongin is used to feeling or able to easily communicate, but they’ve known each other they’re practically brothers. It’s easy to feel comfortable with Baekhyun.  
“I appreciate it.” Baekhyun smiles back at him, messing with his hair and receiving a jab to his shoulder in return.

>>>

Jongin sucks a breath in through his teeth. His heart beats faster than usual, is he nervous? He curses at himself for feeling so anxious, there’s no reason for him to be. He awkwardly hovers around his back window, peeking through the white curtains, waiting for his flower thief to come. The wait feels like an eternity. The longer he stands there, the more he starts to doubt that Kyungsoo will even come. 

He plays with a flower in between his fingers, softly caressing its delicate petals. He bites his lip, he peeking through the curtain one last time, deciding he should give up. He feels silly for having waited for him as long as he did, there was really no reason for him to be so on edge, it’s ridiculous. 

He’s looking into the field behind his home, he doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary, it looked the same. The same sunny light, same pretty flowers, same atmosphere, just… the same. A small dark head of hair peeks over his shoulder, peering out the window next to him, there faces practically even with each other. 

“What are we looking for?” Jongin hears Kyungsoo’s breathy voice so close to his ear, warm breath tickling his neck. He lets out a startled scream, jerking away and jamming his back against the wall. One of the metal hinges digs into his back, making him grimace in pain. He looks Kyungsoo from head to foot, his eyes wide and startled.

“Kyungsoo?” He asks, his voice a little loud. Kyungsoo smiles at him, a look of amusement in his eyes. 

“Sorry to scare you, Nini.” He teases, lolling his head to the side. Jongin’s eyes widen even further. He pushes himself off the wall, standing straight and tall once more.

“Nini?” He questions, his heart races in his chest.   
“How did you get in here?” He asks, an accusatory tone hinting in his voice. Kyungsoo looks up at him through his lashes, he twists at his waist while simultaneously kicking one of his feet back and forth. 

“It’s a secret.” He mumbles. Jongin looks at him, disbelief marring his face. 

“A secret? You’ve got to be kidding me.” Kyungsoo nods his head, his hair bouncing as well with the movement. 

“Maybe if you’re nice I’ll tell you how.” He teases, a small, impish smirk on his lips.

“You’ll maybe tell me how you broke into my house?” Jongin asks, completely taken aback. Kyungsoo nods again. Jongin’s mouth hangs open. He’s so surprised at the Fae to even react properly. 

“Is this for me?” Kyungsoo reaches forward, lightly grasping the flower in Jongin’s hand. He pulls it free and inspects it, only a mere two inches between his face and the bloom. Jongin clears his throat feeling more awkward as the clock ticks by. Irritation bubbles under his skin, but the Fae bounces from one topic to another, not allowing him proper time to react to a single thing. 

>>>

“I uh... Picked a few flowers for you, and I bought you a few desserts.” He points towards the table behind Kyungsoo. A small pink box paired with a small basket of heliotropes residing in the center of the table.   
“I don’t really know much about Fae, but a friend said your kind likes sweet things.” He says almost shyly. Why all of a sudden is he acting this way, nothing is different from last time he saw Kyungsoo… right?

Kyungsoo smiles, his lips forming into a beautiful heart. He leaps forward, trapping Jongin in an embrace. His hug is tight around Jongin’s neck. Jongin gets a face full of soft, floppy hair, but he’s also greeted by a light, sweet scent. Kyungsoo’s body feels very warm against him. Kyungsoo squeezes him once before pulling away. A large smile staining his pink lips.

“I think I might love you!” He giggles happily. He bounds towards the table, his body practically vibrating with excitement. He rips the lid off the box, his eyes glowing like a kid. His eyes eat up the sight of all the colorful desserts. The box contains a variety of macaroons, mini cupcakes and a small portion of strawberries. His stomach lets out a small growl while his mouth waters, his tongue growing even more excited for the sweet treats he’s about to consume. 

Jongin’s skin feels cold at the loss of Kyungsoo’s contact, but he feels instantly warmer from hearing the smaller’s squeals. Kyungsoo reaches into the box and takes out a light blue cupcake with little white sprinkles. 

Not even taking the paper off first, he shoves the whole cupcake in his mouth at once. Jongin looks at him with wide, shocked eyes. Frosting smears on Kyungsoo’s lips and a little on his cheek. Kyungsoo looks overjoyed, his eyes squeezing shut in bliss. He hums softly, chewing what little bit he can manage due to how much he ate. 

He attempts to say something to Jongin, but Jongin doesn’t understand for it came out in a muffled, indiscernible blubber of a noise. Jongin can’t help the laugh that bursts out of his mouth. His eyes crinkle in mirth, and his dimple indenting the side of his cheek. Kyungsoo wasn’t even aware the man had one. 

Kyungsoo watches him, his chewing completely stopped. He feels warmth spread through his chest, the warmth blooming like a flower in spring. In Kyungsoo's ears, Jongin’s laughter sounds like music. He gulps down the small amount of cake in his mouth, but completely neglecting to wipe the frosting on his lips, having completely forgotten about it.

He takes a small step forward, his hands reaching up and grabbing both sides of Jongin’s face. He pulls Jongin down while simultaneously standing on the balls of his feet to stand taller. He presses their lips together, the frosting from his lips smearing onto Jongin’s. He moves his lips atop of Jongin’s. He marvels at how soft the man’s lips are against his own.

Jongin stands there in shock, his hands hover at Kyungsoo’s sides, untouching but instinct tells him to push the Fae away. Before Jongin’s body can react properly, the smaller boy pulls away. Kyungsoo smiles up at him, his thumb softly poking into Jongin’s dimple. 

“I like your laugh.” He says shyly. A breath escapes Jongin’s lips, the shock still affecting his body. The Fae turns away from him, once again leaving him, this time the retreat of his warm body making Jongin cold. 

Kyungsoo quickly snatches up a yellow macaron, placing it between his lips, but not biting down yet. He also takes out a bright green one decorated with edible paints. He holds it out towards Jongin, waiting for the man to take it. 

He bites at the macaron in his own mouth, munching softly on the sweet cookie. Jongin hesitantly takes the cookie from him, loving how happy the treats are making the Fae. He sucks in a breath, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. Well, this is awkward now and definitely not the Human’s forte.

“Kyungsoo, I think we need to talk.” His voice is low but audible. Kyungsoo can feel the atmosphere shift, his swallows the cookie in his mouth and sets down the one he’d been prepared to eat next. He looks up at Jongin, he looks serious all of a sudden. 

“What is it?” He feels a bit nervous, unsure of what’s to come. He hopes Jongin doesn’t want to kick him out for what he did. They’d just made progress, Jongin had been kind to him. Jongin clears his throat and beckons him towards his small living room. They sit on the sofa together, both on opposite ends, a whole cushion of space between them.

Jongin stares down at his own hands, he rubs them on the front of his jeans, wiping away the sweat that accumulates. He feels nervous, a small lump forming in his throat, making it feel almost impossible to speak. 

“You wanted to know why I don’t like your kind, I think… I should tell you now.” He says, eyes closing softly. Kyungsoo sits there quietly, he watches the look on the human’s face change. The look in his eyes clouds over as if he’s trying to remember something.

“My parents were killed when I was young. Just before I blacked out, we were visited by some creatures. I don’t know what they wanted, but my parents sent me to my room. When they turned away I hid behind the door so I could hear them. I can’t remember what they said, it just sounded like fuzz. Before I knew it everything just turned black. 

“The next day was when I got recruited, Kyungsoo. That man fed me words, ideas, and now to have you here, you’re making me question everything I know. I track and capture, that’s what I was trained for, it’s my job. When I found you eating my flowers, you didn’t seem dangerous, just annoying.

“I didn't kill anyone, Soo.” He says, feeling Kyungsoo draw back from him.  
“They wanted me to but it didn’t feel right, I told them no. They discussed it and I was eventually transferred to the second district.” He explains. Jongin lowers his head, he’s trying to be strong but hashing over all of this, it’s draining. After so many years of holding this in, to be able to let it out, it feels so relieving. 

“A few months ago, I saw what they’ve been doing with the ones we bring in. I considered what they might have been doing, but to actually see it…” His voice dies down, the horrifying image of seeing a pale vampire locked behind a glass wall greeting him behind his closed eyes.   
“She’d been starved, she was practically just skin and bones. She looked so desperate, for what I’m not sure but I saw so much pain in her eyes.” 

“That day, I saw what was really going on. Since then, I have these horrible nightmares, it’s always the same every time but I can never remember what happens. I’m afraid, because deep down I know I’m going to end up just like them. I grew up with those people, practically raised by them. I know nothing outside of what they conditioned me to think but now it just feels so wrong.” He stops, his voice shaky and quiet. 

Kyungsoo watches him, his heart tugs with pain, pain at what Jongin has told him, pain for those who have suffered from these people. He’s not sure what he should say, he isn’t sure of what to do, but the look on Jongin’s face tells him that he’s truly been tortured by what he’s been doing. 

“I don’t know.” Jongin whispers, his voice broken and filled with emotion.

Kyungsoo hesitantly reaches forward, wrapping his arms around Jongin’s shoulders. The Fae is honestly surprised when the man doesn’t jerk away this time. He cups Jongin’s cheek with one hand, lifting his face in order to see his face. 

“Jongin, I can’t say that what you did was ok, because you did gather and capture us. You didn’t know what they have been doing. There’s good inside of you, because if there wasn’t then you wouldn’t be so tortured with this. They took advantage of a child, it was all you knew, how could you run from it? I understand that it wasn’t your fault.” He says gently.   
“Do you want to change?” He asks. Jongin looks at him in the eyes, the raw emotion Kyungsoo sees makes his heart skip a beat.

“I want to try.” Jongin whispers.

>>>

After a few days, Kyungsoo asked Jongin to meet him at his gate. He had something he wanted the human to see, something he cherished. 

Kyungsoo waits excitedly near the edge of the forest, his body barely containing the amount of energy going through him. It’s been three days since he’d talked or even seen Jongin. He was ready to see the man again.

Kyungsoo leans against a large tree, his hands tucked behind his back as pushes himself to bounce back and forth. He hums softly, head turned towards the sky. It’s a warm day, nearly too warm for Kyungsoo, seeing as his skin shimmers more than usual. 

Jongin walks towards the tree line, ducking to walk under some of the low branches. He sees Kyungsoo standing there, leaning against a tree. He’s wearing a thin white shirt paired with baby blue shorts that stop a few inches above his knees. His hair is windswept and tousled.

“Waiting for someone?” He asks, Kyungsoo startles, a small yelp escaping his lips. He turns and looks at Jongin, his eyes wide with shock, but a glowing mirth sparkles inside his wide orbs. 

“Jongin!” Kyungsoo yells and starts running at him. He attempts to push at Jongin’s shoulders, but the man moves out of the way quickly, a reflex from years of training. Kyungsoo pouts, his bottom lip jutting out slightly. Jongin studies his face, a feeling akin to guilt blooms in his chest. He hesitantly pats Kyungsoo’s back softly, an apology without words. The sensation of Jongin’s hand coming in contact with his back causes him to gasp. Heat floods his cheeks, a blush spreading over his ears and neck. 

Jongin looks at Kyungsoo from head to toe, his mouth feels dry all of a sudden, causing him he too look away. He clears his throat and raises a hand to rub the back of his neck. 

“So where are you taking me?” He asks. Kyungsoo looks up at him and smiles, he holds out a hand for Jongin to take. The man looks at the outstretched hand, he hesitates before he taking it in his own. The Fae’s cheeks burn all over, not expecting him to take the hand.

“We don’t want you to get lost.” He leans forward and whispers before turning and walking further into the woods, tugging at Jongin’s hand so he follows. Jongin’s question goes unanswered, but with this Fae, he didn’t expect much different.

Jongin looks up at the bright, blue sky. Loving the sunshine and the light sound of birds chirping. The breeze ruffles at the trees leafs, creating a happy greeting. His and Kyungsoo’s hands are tightly clasped, the Fae’s grip gentle but never slacking. 

They walk for what feels like an eternity... The sun’s hot rays make the walk feel more agonizing than when it’s a cool day. When they finally reach their destination, Jongin’s eyes widen at the sight of a beautiful meadow in the middle of a clearing. Flowers are poking up everywhere, covering every inch of the ground beneath of their feet. Small white petals kiss and tickle at their feet and legs, greeting them with their gentle beauty.

Jongin doesn’t have words, very few times in his life has he been struck completely speechless and unable to draw breath, this is definitely one of them. Kyungsoo looks back at him, giving him a smile.

“Do you like it?” He asks, releasing Jongin’s hand and taking a few steps away. Jongin glances at him, he nods, words failing him. Jongin looks around eyes absorbing every inch of the scenery surrounding him. Bright greens of the trees, beautiful, delicate flowers. The sun shining brighter he’s seen for weeks. Completely unblocked by the trees or by buildings, the sky looks so pure and blue. 

Kyungsoo is beautiful, he always has been, but as if some sort of fog in Jongin’s eyes clears away, he truly sees the small boy for what he is. A creature of the forest, small and pointed ears, soft glittering skin, and the look of complete freedom gracing him. He’s so caring and so sweet, like there’s no wrong in the world he couldn’t forgive. Kyungsoo sits on the ground, his hands caressing the flowers sitting around him. 

“Are you gonna continue staring at me or do you want to join me?” He asks, a shy but teasing smile on his face. Jongin breaks from his reverie. His cheeks lightly dust pink with a soft blush, he grows shy from being caught staring so blatantly. He hopes Kyungsoo doesn’t see the blush on his cheeks as he coughs to clear the awkwardness that he feels. The Fae tipped over, giggling softly as grass tickled his cheeks.

He walks towards where Kyungsoo is laying on his back and sits next to the small Fae. His sits with his knees bent, resting his elbows atop of them. Kyungsoo’s giggles grow softer, he sits up and turns to Jongin. He grabs a hold of Jongin’s shoulders, pulling him into a soft hug. 

Not expecting the action, Jongin gets startled but relaxes his body as he hugs back. It was a loose and semi-strange looking hug, but one nonetheless. He sighs, feeling the summer heat swelter around him. He feels his shirt stick to his skin, a drop of sweat running down from his hairline. He shifts one of his hands and wipes it away. The two separate, Kyungsoo looking at Jongin with a smile in his eyes. The Human turns away, laying his back against the soft green on the ground.

Jongin rests his arm out his forehead, blocking some of the light from his eyes. He lies like that for a few minutes, eyes closed and breathing in and out. He listens to the sounds around him. He hears Kyungsoo rustle in the grass next to him, compelling him to look over. Their eyes meet as the smaller one was studying him. 

“It’s a bit warm isn’t it?” He asks, noticing the small droplets along Kyungsoo’s hairline. Kyungsoo nods, smiling softly. He rolls onto his side and lifts a hand to Jongin’s cheeks, not minding the sweat that sticks to the other’s skin. He softly runs his hands through silver hair, loving how soft the locks are. Jongin sighs contentedly, his eyes fluttering shut.

“Just a bit.” Jongin mumbles, his voice comes out in an exhausted slur. Kyungsoo’s hands in his hair feel amazing, helping to soothe the headache that’s forming in his skull. Jongin rolls to his side, facing the Fae with his eyes still closed. 

At some point, Jongin fell asleep. Despite Kyungsoo’s company, someone he hasn’t fully begun to trust yet, he slept rather peacefully. He’d woken up to the sun setting, a cool bite to the air and the sound of crickets chirping around them. 

Jongin’s eyes crack open, they feel swollen and his mouth feels dry, the sun having dehydrated him more than he thought would happen. His hair flops around, ruffling on the grass beneath his head. The grass pricks through his clothing, making him itchy but not in an unbearable way. 

His eyes meet Kyungsoo’s sleeping face. His features gentle and relaxed. Jongin’s eyes follow every slope and dip of the Fae’s features. The urge to run a finger over his soft skin itches at Jongin’s fingertips, though it feels strong, he holds himself back. The thought makes his heart pick up pace for a single moment, it feels as if his heart skips a beat or two. 

Kyungsoo’s eyes flutter open, his long, pretty eyelashes mimicking the most beautiful of butterflies. Their eyes meet, a blush warms Kyungsoo’s skin, his cheeks appearing more glittery as the color becomes more saturated. 

“You look beautiful.” He whispers, his breath hits Kyungsoo’s lips. The words leave his lips without a single thought. It surprises him, though he doesn’t say anything or show how he feels. Kyungsoo blushes deeper and fights the smile threatening to appear on his face. Jongin has a way of making him feel so fuzzy without even trying. His eyes travel over Jongin’s face, examining every dip and curve of its structure. Jongin has a rough, hard exterior, but he can feel the soft interior beginning to peek through ever slowly. 

“You think so?” He asks softly. Jongin gives a small nod, it’s hesitant, but it’s a nod.

“This is new for me, Kyungsoo. I’m a little unsure of myself, and about this, but I’m trying. I want you to know that.” He mutters. He feels insecure, it’s not something he’s used to feeling, but he’s trying to see differently and with a different set of eyes. Kyungsoo nods at him, his eyes understanding.

“I know you are. I want to take you somewhere.” He gets up from his spot on the ground before bending and grabbing Jongin’s. He tugs softly, prompting Jongin to stand as well.

Jongin stands tall, brushing the small amount of dirt from his butt before grasping Kyungsoo’s hand firmly. He must admit, he likes the size difference between their hands, it’s not a significant difference, but Kyungsoo’s hand fits so well inside his own. Kyungsoo leads them forward. The further they go, the more the wind greets them. It feels amazing against Jongin’s skin, refreshing, like a cold glass of water on a hot day.

Kyungsoo leads them onto a small dirt path between some trees, they walk for a few minutes. Eventually, Jongin begins to smell a pond on the air. The smell of salt and fish filling his nostrils.

At the end of the path, it gives way to reveal a body of water, gentle and shaped vaguely like a bean. The water is clear, deep enough that you couldn’t see the bottom. It laps the shoreline, as if in anticipation. Goosebumps rise on his skin, the water cooling the air around them significantly. His body begs for a dip, his muscles whining to be refreshed. He glances towards Kyungsoo, intending to ask if he wanted to take a swim but his eyes bug from his head when he sees the Fae already stripping his clothes off.

Kyungsoo’s entire back is exposed, the beginning of his ass peeking from his blue short which he drags from his skin. Jongin’s eyes drink up the sight of his pale skin shimmering under the heated sun. His slender waist spreading out to his full hips and luscious thighs. Jongin looks away with a gulp. If he wasn’t thirsty before he most definitely is now. 

He can hear the soft cotton running over Kyungsoo’s body before hitting the ground, the sound nearly shattering his entire being. There’s a long pause of silence before he can hear Kyungsoo stepping into the water, a soft, cute shriek escaping the boy. 

“You can turn around Jongin.” He says. Jongin can hear laughter in his voice. He coughs awkwardly, trying to ignore the blush that’s grown on his cheekbones. He hesitantly turns, his eyes instantly going to Kyungsoo. He’s standing in the water, waist deep. His entire torso is exposed for anyone’s eyes to see. Beautiful, flawless skin glinting, slender shoulders, and softly angled collar bones. Jongin’s eyes trail down Kyungsoo’s body, his hip bones jut out against his skin just before disappearing underneath the water.

He looks away, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck. He walks to where Kyungsoo left his clothes on a rock. He kneels down and unties his boots, followed with removing his socks. He takes a hold of the bottom of his shirt and pulls it away from his torso just a fraction of skin showing through. He stops and looks up to see Kyungsoo’s eyes on him, watching his every move. He stands there, shirt lifted and belly button exposed. 

His and Kyungsoo’s eyes remain locked. He hesitates, moving his eyes away to stare at a misshapen rock. 

“Will you close your eyes, or look away?” He asks, his tummy does a flop at the prospect of Kyungsoo watching him undress. He refuses to look up, refuses to admit that he’s actually shy right now.

Kyungsoo lets out a soft noise and turns, the water rippling from the movement. Jongin strips his shirt off in one swift movement once Kyungsoo turns his back towards him. His abs come into perfect view, flexing underneath his caramel skin.

He pops the button of his jeans and slowly lowers the zipper, the sound nearly deafening between them. He pushes them off his hips, letting them free to drop to the ground. He steps out and kicks them up onto the rock to join his shirt. He stands there in his tight, black briefs, not sure if he should take them off or leave them on. 

Would Kyungsoo feel weird if he kept them on? Was it fair if he was the only naked one? 

“Um… Kyungsoo, what should I do with my underwear?” He asks meekly. Kyungsoo’s laugh explodes from his mouth.

“Just take them off Jongin, I’m not looking, you don’t want soggy panties, do you?” Jongin gapes at him, his eyes wide. He watches Kyungsoo’s muscles flex and unflex as he reigns in his laughter. The Fae scoops up some water and lets it leak down his forearms. He slowly strips off his underwear, every inch of him being uncovered and exposed. Goosebumps arise even further, growing more intense.

He walks to the water line, feeling a little awkward.  
“I won’t bite.” Kyungsoo whispers as if he can feel Jongin’s hesitance. Jongin chuckles softly, appreciating Kyungsoo’s attempts to keep this awkward bubble from forming. 

He steps into the water, walking until it hits his ribs. He stays a good distance away from Kyungsoo to ensure everything of his is hidden. He clears his throat and splashes some water towards Kyungsoo’s figure.

“You can turn around.” He says. Kyungsoo peeks behind him, his doe eyes traveling the expanse of Jongin’s exposed skin. His eyes linger on Jongin’s nipples, traveling to what little bit of his abs are showing before looking away. 

“I don’t know if I’ll get used to that.” He mumbles. Jongin smirks and flicks a few drops of water from his fingertips to Kyungsoo’s face. Kyungsoo flinches and takes a wobbly step back before looking Jongin directly in the eyes. His eyes are promising in threat, dangerous but mirthful. He cups his hands together and scoops as much water as he can before flinging all of it at Jongin’s face. 

The taller avoids most of the water easily enough, but not completely for some of it splashed against his shoulder. He flings more water towards the Fae, laughing at the look on his face. His hair is stuck to his forehead, dripping water into his eyes. Jongin doubles over, his laughter completely taking over him. 

Kyungsoo takes this moment to lunge at him, knocking him back. They submerge for a brief moment, both heads shattering the water's surface. Kyungsoo laughs at the shocked look on Jongin’s face, loving that he took him off guard. Jongin grabs Kyungsoo by his waist, lifting him up as he stood from his place in the water. 

Kyungsoo squeaks softly, clinging onto Jongin, his fingers digging into the human’s shoulders. Their wet skin clings together, water droplets running between their connected bodies. For a single moment, Jongin forgets about everything as he lets himself get lost in Kyungsoo’s dark eyes. 

He wraps his right arm around Kyungsoo's torso to hold him up, his other hand coming up to cup his cheek. He feels breathless, his head a bit fuzzy. All he cares about right now is Kyungsoo, nothing else matters. The urge to kiss Kyungsoo clouds his mind and overwhelms him. 

He listens to instinct and pulls Kyungsoo down to brush their lips together. He marvels at the sweet warmth of Kyungsoo’s lips, he feels completely intoxicated. Kyungsoo's entire body feels warm against his own, not comfortable in the water but calming. It feels like he belongs there, in Jongin's arms. He pulls away, feeling breathless.

The taller man looks into Kyungsoo's eyes, feeling like everything he needs and wants is right there with him. He unravels his arm from the Fae’s waist, letting him drift slightly apart, distant enough to let the two catch their breath.

“I don't know what it is about you, Kyungsoo, but you make me feel free. Like there are no restrictions or rules.” He whispers, swimming closer. He stops once his lips are just a fraction of an inch away from Kyungsoo's own. The Fae breathes a laugh, lifting a hand to Jongin's chest, his fingers play with his collarbone, feeling the soft skin dipping against bone. 

“And you make me feel happy, Jongin... blindingly so.” He says softly. He leans forward a bit and pecks Jongin's lips once more, feeling his ever warm skin against his own. The air between them is always warm, always gentle. Even before Jongin gave him a chance, something about Kyungsoo felt different.

>>>

Jongin and Baekhyun lean back on the couch in Jongin’s living room, the end credits of their movie rolling across the screen. Their stomachs are happily filled with ice cream and popcorn, eyes glazed over and cheeks glowing pink from sitting in the dark so long. 

Every week they get together and have a junky night filled with junk food, candy, and movies or video games. It’s something they’ve done almost as long as they’ve known each other. They met when Baekhyun joined the agency, he was 16, Jongin 14. They were staying in dorms at the time, balancing training with ‘school’. 

Baekhyun had dropped out of high school to join the agency, Jongin hadn’t found out the reason until almost 3 years after. He never believed in oppressing the creatures, for they couldn’t control who they were born as and their situation brought them to act in ways they could survive. Humans found it violent, but it was just nature, it’s how things had to be. So, when he turned 16, he made the decision to join, to help those victims escape and receive help.

They didn’t get along very well at first, Baekhyun hated him for what he believed in and Jongin hated him for appearing so superior and standoffish. They didn’t mix, but the two of them were put in the same dorm room, thus they would eventually have to get along. Jongin begrudgingly told Baekhyun how he got there, shocking the older boy, and since they’ve been friends. 

In all honesty, Baekhyun felt pity towards Jongin, but he felt responsible in a way to help him along. Baekhyun became like an older brother to him, the brother he never had.

~

Jongin hums softly, shifting and squishing down to lay his head against Baekhyun’s shoulder.

“Baekhyun.” He says softly, he feels dazed and completely zoned out as his eyes are captivated by a dark knot in his coffee table. Baekhyun hums at him, his hand nudging the younger’s tummy before plopping its full weight down, which pushes uncomfortably on Jongin’s full belly. Jongin bats the hand away and settles deeper in the couch, pulling his feet up so his legs bend comfortably near his chest.

“You know I trust you right? I value your opinion?” Baekhyun nods at him, looking down at him.   
“What would you say if I told you I kissed Kyungsoo?” He bites his lip, his eyes from one spot to another on the table in front of them. Baekhyun jerks away from him, flying forward and off the couch.

Jongin's head slips from his shoulder and falls onto the cushion that Baekhyun had been sitting on. He adjusts his body and lies down completely flat.

“You kissed him?” He asks, his voice loud and unfiltered. Jongin looks up at him for a moment, he nods his head.  
“You kissed him?!” He yells, once again looking for confirmation. He stares down at Jongin, shock mixes with excitement in his belly, which oozes into the look on his face.   
“I think that’s great, Jongin, how do you feel about it?” Baekhyun’s contagious smile spreads to Jongin as one breaks onto his lips.

“It was... nice. I feel.. Content? I just barely started giving him a chance Baek, should it be moving this fast?” He asks softly. The elder hums softly, thinking as he looks over Jongin’s face.

“I think that if it felt right, if it feels right, then maybe it is.” He smiles.  
“I think in moments like these, our hearts know what’s good for us, better than our minds do.” He kneels down and nudges Jongin’s shoulder.   
“What did you two do today?”Jongin pauses before telling him, recollecting the day in his mind.

“He took me to a meadow, we just laid there. It was blistering hot, I’m genuinely surprised I didn’t come back looking like a dehydrated fruit. He also took me to a lake.” He lingers on the memory, Kyungsoo looked happy to have him there, he felt like he belonged in that moment.

“Wait... So you guys like, skinny dipped or...?” His question trails off. Without looking over, Jongin nods his head. Baekhyun smirks, his eyebrows practically raising to his hairline.  
“Did you see his knick-knacks? His berries and banana?” He asks, the references making Jongin’ choke on air. He smacks Baekhyun several times and receives whimpers and hollers in return. 

“I didn't look!” He exclaims. Baekhyun blocks Jongin’s attacks and rolls away laughing, his hair messy and tousled atop his head. He sits down on his butt, his back leaning against the coffee table. 

“All joking aside, did you feel anything between you two? Beyond, ‘it feels like a moment that I should kiss him’?” He asks, taking a taste of his long forgotten water. Jongin shrugs his shoulder, unsure of what to say.

“I don’t know Baekhyun, of course there was something between us, some unspoken feelings. I just… don’t understand right now. I don’t know what I’m feeling.” Baekhyun nods, understanding exactly what the younger man is trying to say.

“I’m proud of you, Jongin.” He says. Jongin hums softly, his thoughts are filled with Kyungsoo, his smile, his laugh. Everything. After several minutes continuing in silence like this, he groans loudly, running his hands over his face.  
“I feel like I’m just repeating myself here. Every time I talk about him I’m just saying the same things over again.” He whines and kicks his foot. Baekhyun scoffs and kicks Jongin’s leg.

“You do, dummy. It's.. exciting though. In the time I've known you I've never once seen you obsess or like someone like this before. So, Kyungsoo is essentially breaking your boyfriend-ginity and he's also getting you over your phobia. I'm loving every single second of this.” He laughs and gets up from the ground.   
“Besides, this is the only drama in my life, you’re keeping me alive at this point.”  
“I think I have to get going though, boss is gonna have my ass on a stick if I’m late again.” Jongin scowls at him, slapping him on the butt as he walks towards the front door.

“Isn’t having your ass on a stick something you want, tiny?!” Baekhyun lets out a high pitched sound, an offended look instantly marring his face. 

“Tiny?” He scoffs and slips his shoes on, choosing to ignore Jongin's laughing.  
“I'm petite, not tiny.” Jongin shakes his head and waves his hand in the air.

“You can pick whatever word you want Baek, but don't they all mean the same thing?” Baekhyun grumbles under his breath, huffing and puffing the whole time it takes him to slip on his shoes.

“And no! I don’t want my ass anywhere near a damn stick!” He yells before leaving, the door slamming loudly behind him. 

Teasing the older boy is too much fun for Jongin to just pass up, even though Baekhyun will return the favor two times as aggressively. He sighs and turns the TV off, his stands and cleans up the popcorn that fell to the floor. He drops it in the old bowl they used for snacks. Gathering their empty water and beer bottles, balancing them expertly in order to not drop anything. Kim Jongin does not make two trips. 

He turns around and heads towards the kitchen but when he sees Kyungsoo sitting in one of his kitchen chairs he shrieks and drops everything in his hands. Kyungsoo startles, not seeing Jongin come in. They both stare at each other with wide eyes, though Jongin’s heart is probably more than halfway to stopping.

“What are you doing here?” He asks loudly, his blood rushes in his ears, muffling the sound around him. Though it’s nice to see Kyungsoo again, he can feel the five years he just lost from his lifespan shrivel away.

“I wanted to see you.” He says like it’s the most normal thing. Jongin gives him a weird look before stooping down and gathering everything he dropped. Kyungsoo stays seated, looking in his wooden chair. 

“How did you get in?” He asks, his voice a little on the agitated side.

“Your kitchen window is broken. It doesn’t lock properly.” He answers with a gesture behind himself. Jongin’s eyes follow the movement and stop on the window.

“Oh… great, I guess I need to fix that tomorrow then.” He sighs. He was planning to take the next day and just relax seeing as how he doesn’t have to go into the agency tomorrow.

“Don’t fix it.” Kyungsoo says, smiling mirthfully at him.   
“Unless you know about it there’s almost no way of anyone figuring it out, so you don't have to worry about anyone breaking in, and if you do fix it, how else will I get in when I want somewhere warm to sleep?” He asks tilting his head. A natural frown makes its way to Jongin's brow. 

“How many times have you come in without me knowing?” Kyungsoo bites his lips softly and looks away. 

“I dunno, a few.” His answer is vague, almost annoyingly so. Jongin stands tall and puts everything in the kitchen sink, the bottles clattering as they settle.

“How many is ‘a few’?” He sits in a chair next to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo peers at him from under his eyelashes, his bottom lip between his teeth and his fingers fumble with the hem of his white top.

“Three or four, only a few.” He mumbles and shrugs his shoulders.  
“One of the times I wanted to see you but you were changing your clothes and it scared me, I thought you'd be asleep.” He answers, shrugging it off as if that makes it any less weird. He drops his legs from his chair and swings them back and forth, seeing as how they’re too short to touch the ground completely. 

Jongin feels a little weirded out, but the cute look on Kyungsoo's face turns him into mush. There's a moment of silence between them. 

“Why would you want to see me that late at night? Especially when you knew I didn’t like you? You scared me!” Jongin exclaims. He feels flustered.

“I'm sorry, ok? I'll stop coming here if that's what you want.” Kyungsoo mutters. Jongin didn’t expect him to say that.

“That's not what I'm saying Kyungsoo, you can continue coming here, I was just freaked out is all. That's all I was trying to say.” He says back.  
“So… why did you come here tonight? We were just together a couple of hours ago.” 

“I wanted to cuddle with you. I feel like you're the type that gets really warm at night and I started to feel cold.” He blushes shyly. Jongin lets out a breathy laugh, looking away from him. He glances back when Kyungsoo gets up from his chair. The smaller runs a hand through Jongin’s hair as he walks by.

“I'm sleeping here, the last one there is the little spoon!” He calls out. Jongin laughs again, shaking his head as he stands from his seat. He runs from the kitchen and up the stairs, slowing down as he makes his way down the short hallway. He takes in a deep breath, his heart fluttering and tummy twisting into fluffy but nervous knots. 

With one last deep breath, he pushes the bedroom door open, but when he sees Kyungsoo stripping off his clothes his eyes bug out and a shrill scream leaves his lips. He turns so his back is facing Kyungsoo, but the sudden shock makes him light-headed. He reaches out and grabs a hold of the door frame before he can fall over.

“What are you doing?” His voice comes out like a scream, albeit a little shaky. 

“Nothing.” He hears Kyungsoo mumbling along with the sound of his cotton clothes hitting the floor. Twice in one day? Does this Fae have no sense of decency? How much more will Jongin be able to handle before he collapses to the ground? 

There's some more shuffling as Kyungsoo climbs up on his bed, the blanket ruffling around as he gets comfy.   
“Ok, you can look now.” He says softly. Jongin hesitantly turns around, his nerves making him want to go back downstairs. When he turns, he sees Kyungsoo cuddled up, his head resting on one of his pillows, hair flopped around, ruffled and messy. 

“You’re wearing my t-shirt?” Jongin asks, smirking at the embarrassed look on Kyungsoo’s face.   
“It looks good on you.” He says, making the shade of Kyungsoo’s cheeks even brighter. Kyungsoo pats the bed beside himself, beckoning Jongin to join him. 

The human hesitates, his eyes taking in the entire sight before him. Kyungsoo lying there all comfy and soft, his hair going everywhere, eyes drooping slightly and his large t-shirt on him. The bottom of the shirt falls to his thighs and the sleeves stopping just above his elbows. 

He feels himself warm up, a content, peaceful feeling washing over him. He pushes off the door frame, feet padding over the wooden floor as he approaches the bed. He slips in beside Kyungsoo, the sheets and pillow crinkling as he shifts around to get comfortable. Once he settles in, Kyungsoo swings the blanks over them and immediately snuggles into Jongin’s side. As he gets comfortable, he nuzzled his nose into Jongin’s neck.

“You are really warm.” Kyungsoo mumbles, his lips softly caressing Jongin’s skin. He curls his legs up and sticks his feet on Jongin’s legs making the latter gasp loudly.

“Holy shit, your toes are like ice cubes!” He exclaims, pulling his legs away from the offending appendages. Kyungsoo whines, attempting to stick Jongin again but he scooches away.   
“I won’t let you suck my warmth away!” He says playfully. Kyungsoo whines again and curls up impossibly tight, rolling on to his back. He slips his feet beneath Jongin’s shirt and sticks his toes on Jonin’s sides. 

“Your warmth is my warmth!” He half yells, gripping Jongin around his torso so he can’t escape. Jongin knocks the Fae’s feet off and turns on his side, hugging him close so he can’t be attacked again. He tangles their legs together and buries his nose in the latter’s hair. 

“Maybe, but your cold isn’t my cold.” He murmurs, the vibration of his voice rumbling in his chest and traveling into Kyungsoo’s ear. Kyungsoo giggles and snuggles deeper into Jongin’s chest, the cotton of his shirt tickling his nose. Jongin’s body warmth practically melts him like ice cream on a hot day.

“You smell nice.” Kyungsoo mumbles, loving the slight vanilla scent peeking through the smell of popcorn. Jongin holds him tight, loving the feel of him in his arms. 

“You smell nice too.” He mumbles, his eyelids feel heavy, the scent of lavender and berries soothing him to sleep.

>>>

Jongin wakes up with a start. He lurches up, his heart pounding in his chest. Sweat soaks his shirt and hair, making the cotton stick uncomfortably to his skin. His head pounds, pressure pushing at his ears and from behind his eyes. 

His breath leaves his lips in short puffs. Bile rises up from his stomach, making his gag reflex kick in. He jumps up from the bed to run to the bathroom, but his foot is caught up in the sheet, thus making him trip and land with a thump. The Fae in his bed wakes up, jumping nearly 2 feet off the bed. He looks towards Jongin with wide eyes, his heart pounding hard.

Jongin struggles to unwrap his foot but once he does he launches himself towards the bathroom. In a single moment’s thought, he slams the bathroom door on his way in, obscuring Kyungsoo’s view inside. He dry heaves over the toilet, though nothing comes out, his stomach and throat feel as if it’s on fire.

Kyungsoo gets up off the bed, his brow furrowed in concern.

“Jongin, are you ok?” Kyungsoo knocks on the door hesitantly but doesn't get a response...  
“Jongin?” The door muffles his voice only slightly, Jongin can hear him fine, but he can’t find his voice to respond. Kyungsoo knocks again, this time louder. He tries to open the door but Jongin quickly crawls across the floor and shuts it once more. He kneels high enough to lock the door just before leaning against the wall next to the door. 

“I’ll be fine Kyungsoo, just have a bit of a stomach ache is all.” His voice is quiet and weak, but Kyungsoo hears him. His words do nothing to settle Kyungsoo’s nerves. Kyungsoo doesn't move away from the door, his heart and mind racing with anxiety. As if sensing his hesitation, Jongin speaks again to settle his nerves.

“Really, I’m fine. I must have eaten some spoiled food last night, it’s nothing to worry about.” He can feel his stomach clenching again, another wave of nausea hitting him. Cold sweat drips from his hairline, flowing down his neck and absorbs into his cotton shirt. 

Though he lied and told Kyungsoo it was food that made him sick, there’s no denying the fact that it was another nightmare that set his nerves to go on high alert. He hadn’t had a nightmare for several weeks before then, therefore something must have triggered it. What it was, he wasn’t sure. 

“Are you sure, Jongin?” Kyungsoo asks gently. Jongin feels himself calm down at the sound of the Fae’s voice. 

“I’m sure, Kyungsoo. I have to be to work soon and I don’t know how long I’ll take in here, maybe you should head home so that you’re not just sitting alone?” He suggests, trying his best not to let the anxiety take over him. Kyungsoo nods from his side of the door, a silent act of compliance.

“Only if you’re sure.” He says. He doesn’t want to leave Jongin, but he can sense something else is amiss. He’d just barely gotten the man to accept him, he doesn’t want to break the trust by prying too hard.

“I’m sure, Kyungsoo.” He mumbles, grimacing at the sharp pain in his head. Kyungsoo lowers his head and steps away from the door.

“All right. I’ll head home, will I see you soon though?” He asks, feeling a little insecure. Jongin smiles to himself, despite the pain he’s in.

“Of course you will, Love.” He says. The nickname that leaves his lips makes Kyungsoo’s heart flutter despite his worry.

~

Training is always tough, it’s exhausting, painful, and it always requires him to be 100% focused. No distractions, no hesitation. Some days he trains his agility, some days his strength, and some days they require him to train with specific weapons, such as swords, or guns. Today they had to fight with wooden staffs. Jongin was a little out of it when he got to work that morning, Baekhyun picked up on it right away but everyone else seemed oblivious to it. 

He asked Jongin what was up, if anything happened but Jongin just denied it, he had just said he was having a rough morning. Baekhyun let it go, not wanting to pry, but when it came time to train and Jongin took his first few hits, he knew there was more that Jongin wasn’t saying. 

Jongin grunts as the wood smacks against his thigh, the pain reverberating throughout his entire leg and some of his back. He shakes his head, trying to focus himself but he just feels out of it, like his body is here but his mind is somewhere else. 

“Focus, Kim!” His instructor yells from the sidelines. He grits his teeth and grips his stick tighter, his knuckles turning white. He feels off today, he isn’t entirely sure what is settling over his chest but it’s heavy and very clearly affecting him. His opponent takes a swing at him which he easily blocks. He digs his heels into the ground for leverage to push the man back. Jongin watches him stumble back, the scowl on his face growing more pronounced. 

Jongin throws a quick attack, his staff whipping through the air, a whistling sound resonating from the speed. He lands a jab against the man’s side, making him flinch and scrunch his body as a reflex. Jongin takes this chance to swing again but his opponent expects this and stops Jongin’s staff mid-air with his own. He pushes Jongin away from him, putting his entire body weight into the movement. 

Jongin stumbles, nearly falling at his feet struggle to gain leverage once more. His lungs are short of breath, burning for the need of more oxygen. He curses himself on the inside, he shouldn’t be this distracted, he’s never this distracted. 

Before Jongin can even blink or defend himself, his opponent flies into another attack, successfully knocking Jongin’s weapon from his hands. The man swings for his head, stopping just barely a few inches away before his staff can actually make contact with his skull. He squeezes his eyes shut and his hands turn into tight fists. 

Baekhyun lowers his head into his hand, Jongin hasn’t had a training this bad in years, the last time he did, he had been returning to train after a severe injury. Their trainer grumbles under his breath.

“Take a break, Kim, don’t show your face in front of me till you’ve decided to take this seriously.” He yells before storming out, the large door slamming shut behind him. His opponent gives him a cocky look before dropping his staff at Jongin’s feet. He walks away, footsteps echoing. 

“Don’t forget to clean up.” He disappears behind the same door, leaving Jongin and Baekhyun in a heavy silence. In this industry, if you fail even once, you’re only one misstep away from being a fuck up, people labeled as such usually only make it a few weeks before being kicked out.

Jongin sighs, his shoulders slump, the tension in his body practically melting away. 

Baekhyun takes a few hesitant steps forward, his steps are soft, as to not cause a lot of noise. He remains quiet because he’s unsure of what to say, but he also doesn’t want to rush or interrupt Jongin’s thoughts. They stand there in silence for what feels like a long time. They can hear people going by outside in the hall, the bustle of people seemingly only making the silence louder. 

“I can’t do this anymore.” Jongin murmurs before bending down and grabbing the sticks to put them away. His footsteps echo off the ground, his boots ruthlessly take step after step.   
“This doesn't feel ok anymore, and clearly I can't pretend like it is, though I don't even want to pretend.” He grumbles. Baekhyun bites his lip and watches as Jongin cleans up after everybody’s training, wiping the mats, putting leftover equipment away. Only when he's done does he say something. 

“So when are you gonna do it?” He asks, kicking the front of his shoe into the ground. Jongin sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. 

“Today, just before I leave. Mr. Lee practically lives here, he’ll pass it on and file the paperwork. The higher-ups won't take it as badly if he's the one saying it and I'm not really in the mood to get my ass kicked more than once today.” His words are genuine but he can't help the bitter half smile that spreads across his lips. 

“How long have you been thinking about this?” Jongin sighs and shakes his head.

“I've honestly been thinking about it for so long, it's gotta be months by now, but I've just recently been actively considering this since I met Kyungsoo. I'm not gonna lie.” He says. Baekhyun nods and smiles at Jongin.

“I'm gonna miss your ornery ass walking around here every day, but I can't say I'm not a little relieved. This place is... bad.” He says softly, to which Jongin nods in agreeance.

“It is, but it's been around for so long, I'm not so sure it's going anywhere anytime soon.” He shrugs. As toxic and inhumane as this place is, it's ingrained in society, deeply ingrained, and it's gonna take many more years for people to open their minds and adapt to something new. People aren't open-minded, and definitely not towards mythical creatures. It's something so beyond them that it scares them. 

~~

Jongin stands in front of the large wooden door, his back straight as a pin, not a single flaw in his stature. He feels confident in his decision, but the man he has to see shakes him to the core. 

This man is at the top of the food chain, though he’s one that recruits people, he’s also the one that ‘terminates’ them. Jongin has only had to engage with him a handful of times since he’d been recruited in the company. Each time he becomes more unsettled than the last.

The way the man looks at him, it’s like he can see through Jongin, like he can read his mind. His icy blue eyes pierce through his soul. He knows he has gotten people killed, knows he can use his fists and do the dirty work. Everyone in this company can. It’s not that he scares Jongin, it’s that he unnerves him. 

The deep, unsettling voice from behind the door calls him inside. One of the bulky guards opens the door for Jongin, giving him a deadly glare as he passes by. Once Jongin steps fully inside, the guard closes the door almost immediately with a loud click. The office is dark, the only light coming in from the partially open curtains on the wall to his right. 

“What’s so important it couldn’t wait, Kim?” Straight to the point, as always.

“I want to resign from the agency.” He says, his stomach is filled with anxiety but it doesn’t show through his voice. The man leans back in his desk chair, the leather settling under his weight. His eyes pierce through Jongin, staring him down like a bull ready to charge. 

“You’re resigning?” He clarifies. Jongin nods, his heart picking up pace a bit. 

“Why?” Jongin clears his throat, he tries to think of the best answer but no matter what he says, it’ll end badly.

“I have something else in mind that I should be doing, therefore I don’t believe I’ll be an asset to this agency anymore and I believe my place should be filled with someone who wishes to be here.” He says. The man hums lowly, his head nodding ever so subtly. He stands from his chair, straightening to his full height. 

“Kim, you’ve been with us for a long time, have you not?” He comes around to the other side if the desk to stand in front of Jongin. He stands at least a head taller, his build not much different, but a man in anger is the most dangerous to come across. Jongin nods at his question, unease filling his body.   
“I remember when we brought you in. I remember seeing you grow with such hatred for these creatures. What’s changed?” He asks, taking another step closer. Jongin instinctively wants to step back as the man gets closer, but out of respect and sheer fear, he stays where he is. 

“I just want a normal life, Sir.” He answers. The man mulls over Jongin’s words. His head bobs twice in a nod. 

“Normal.” He mumbles. He takes in a deep breath, one that sends Jongin’s stomach flipping. The man throws a punch at Jongin’s face, landing squarely on his nose. He hears a crack before feeling hot blood running out over his lip. Before Jongin can even react, he lands several others across his face, centered mostly on his cheeks. He sends a jab to Jongin’s midsection, causing him to lose his breath. He curls in on himself, a deep grunt leaving his lips. The man lifts him to full height, his hands wrapped in Jongin’s shirt.

“You used to loyal, you were our best man, and now you just want to leave?” He seethes in anger.  
“You benefited us for so long, I’ll spare you, but if I see even you one more time after today, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.” He lets go of Jongin with a harsh shove. Jongin falls back, landing on his side. The man above him lands a hard, painful kick to his stomach. 

Jongin’s breath once again leaves in one swift gust, he feels bile rising up from his stomach, which causes him to cough violently. The man walks over and to the door, he swings it open, his eyes clouded with rage.

“Get this rat out of my sight.” He yells, stepping out. His footsteps thundering down the halls. Two men grab Jongin by his arms, lifting him and holding him up with their shoulders. They drag him out of the room, Jongin barely conscious enough to see that they’re taking him around to the back door. 

Upon arriving, they open the door and throw him out ruthlessly. He lands with a grunt, dirt, and dust puffing up around his body. One of them hesitates, looking down at him before speaking.

“Stay here, not that I think you can go anywhere in your condition.” He goes back in, shutting the door tightly behind him. Jongin passes out shortly after, his entire body throbbing and hurting. When he wakes up again, everything is fuzzy, but he can make out a worried Baekhyun leaning over him. 

“At least tell me it’s done.” He says, looking for something to feel ok about. Jongin nods weakly, his head throbbing terribly at the action. Baekhyun sighs heavily shaking his head. He helps Jongin to his feet, taking all of the taller’s weight on his side.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” 

>>>

With his mind practically at war with itself, Jongin gets out of his car and heads towards his front door. He's so busy thinking about what he just did at work, about what he'll say to Kyungsoo and when to say it. He doesn't know if he should wait till he sees the boy again, or if he should go find the boy now, he just isn't sure. Jongin is nearly two minutes away from smoke coming out of his ears due to frustration. 

He unlocks his front door and steps in, his nose is instantly hit with the sweet, mouth-watering scent of pastries and fruit. His stomach clenches and growls from a day of neglect and hunger. He slips his shoes off and quietly walks into the kitchen, he breathes in a soft, loving sigh as he sees Kyungsoo standing the counter, a cute pink apron tied around his waist. He's adding jellies and fruits to some pastries, from Jongin’s angle he sees a few turnovers and some biscuits. His mouth waters at the oh so delicious scent but his heart melts at the sweet, domestic sight.

Kyungsoo hums a soft song under his breath, his small hands working to make the pastries pretty. Jongin quietly sneaks up behind him and wraps his arms around the boy's waist, eliciting a gasp to fall from his lips. Jongin props his chin on Kyungsoo’s shoulder, watching his hands pause on what they were doing. 

“You're baking in my house.” He murmurs, his voice coming out soft and warm in Kyungsoo’s ear. The latter hums and glances over at him.

“You don't mind right?” he asks, hands hesitating as he spreads some jelly over a biscuit. Jongin hums, his voice low. 

“Not at all, I can't tell you how much I'm liking this actually. You look cute in this apron.” Kyungsoo blushes and smiles shyly. He lifts the pastry up to Jongin’s mouth, allowing him to take a bite of the fluffy food. The sweet jelly hits his tongue, practically making the appendage tingle. 

“It’s yummy, Soo.” He whispers. Kyungsoo practically blooms at the compliment, his smile grows. He turns his head to look at Jongin and is shocked to see the condition if his face. Bruises adorn his cheek and chin. His lip is split and painful looking. Kyungsoo turns fully in Jongin grasp, lifting his hands to cradle his face.

“What happened to you?” Jongin tries to pry his face away from Kyungsoo’s hands as he suddenly grows uncomfortable with the skin contact. The smaller boy holds tight. He raises his eyebrows at him, signifying that Jongin should tell him now while he's asking nicely. 

“I had a rough day in training is all, I was a little distracted.” He sighs. Kyungsoo runs his fingers softly over the bruises, his eyebrows crease in a troubled manner. Jongin hisses, drawing away at the touch over his sensitive bruises. Pain spreads all around the wound. Kyungsoo apologizes softly, opting to rest his hand on Jongin’s shoulder. 

“Are you feeling ok? Why were you distracted?” He softly shakes his head, lips pulling into a frown. Jongin pecks a kiss on Kyungsoo’s lips, trying to soothe the frown the ever deepens.

“I’m feeling much better now.” He smiles, his eyes crinkling at the edges, though he ignores the pain as his smile pulls at his wounds. Kyungsoo sighs, he wraps his arms around Jongin’s shoulders, his hands clasping at the base of his neck. 

“Even though I’m upset you got hurt, it could have been worse. I’m glad you’re ok.” He returns a kiss on Jongin’s lips, the delicate skin warm against his own.   
“So why were you so distracted?” He asks. Jongin smiles slyly, pulling him closer. 

“I was too excited to see you again that I just couldn’t focus. You’re dangerous for me, Love.” Kyungsoo scoffs, but the blush on his cheeks reveals how he really feels. 

“You’re teasing me.” Jongin laughs again but doesn’t deny it.

“Come, take a walk with me.” He takes Kyungsoo’s hand from his neck and pulls him towards the door. Kyungsoo feels a little confused, he pulls back, making Jongin stop.

“Are you sure you’re up for it?” He asks, his eyes scanning Jongin from head to toe, though his gaze lingers on the visible bruises covering his face. Jongin nods his head, pulling at Kyungsoo’s hand to urge him forward.

“I’m fine, Soo.” He mutters. Kyungsoo sighs softly, shaking his head. He allows Jongin to pull him forward and out the door. 

The air is cool, a refreshing breeze greeting them and tickling their skin. The sun is setting, painting pinks and purples across the sky. The sight takes their breath away, setting a soft and comfortable atmosphere between the two of them. 

Jongin doesn’t know how he’s going to tell Kyungsoo but he feels secure with his decision so he feels confident about telling him. They walk in a comfortable silence, Jongin leads them to the same path Kyungsoo took him down towards the meadow. Birds chirp happily, singing their beautiful song for them. 

Every once in a while Jongin can feel Kyungsoo grip his hand a little tighter, just to release back into a gentle hold once again. He looks over at him, looking to see if anything seems off, but each and every time Kyungsoo just gives him a warm smile. 

They just walk down the small trail for several minutes, just soaking in each other’s company and the fresh air. Kyungsoo begins to wonder why Jongin brought him out here, and why he hasn’t said anything since they left his house.

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo says to draw his attention. He pulls on his hand again to stop him. Jongin turns half his body towards Kyungsoo, he looks into the shorter boy’s eyes. He hums softly and steps a little closer.

“What are we doing out here?” He questions. Jongin pauses, his breath halting for a single moment. Jongin considers telling him to wait a little further, just till they’re in the small meadow, but seeing Kyungsoo look up at him with his doe eyes, completely trusting of him, he decides to just spill the words that sit on his tongue.

“I have some news, I don’t know how you’ll feel but I think I made the right choice today.” He starts off with. Kyungsoo perks up, his full attention resting on Jongin.   
“I quit today.” He says slowly. He gauges Kyungsoo’s reaction but doesn’t get much in response. 

“Quit?” His eyebrows. A breathy laugh leaves his lips, his squeezes Kyungsoo's hand, his thumb rubbing small circles over the skin.

“My job at the agency, I quit today.” It takes a moment for Kyungsoo to fully realise, but when it does sink in, his eyes widen and his lips part. 

“You quit? Why?” He asks, confusion marks itself over his whole face. Jongin shushes him softly, his hands cradling Kyungsoo's face. 

“I quit because I wanted to, It was time. It didn't feel right being there anymore.” The wrinkle between Kyungsoo’s brows lessens but doesn’t completely fade away.

“Are you sure about this? Completely?” Jongin nods in reassurance. 

“I’m positive.” He turns and takes Kyungsoo’s hand once more, resuming their walk. Jongin can feel that Kyungsoo has more questions so he beckons them out.

“You can ask me whatever you want, Love.” He squeezes Kyungsoo’s hand, looking over at him. Kyungsoo blushes and sucks in a breath.

“I like when you call me that.” He murmurs. The wind picks up slightly, carrying a soft floral scent with it.   
“What are you going to do now?” He asks, stepping closer to rest his other hand on Jongin’s bicep. Jongin hums, tilting his head as they walk closer to the meadow.

“I’m not quite sure yet. Maybe open a flower shop? My mother used to love flowers and I guess her fondness for them was passed to me. I remember her talking about wanting to open a shop of her own, but my parents passed away before she could.” He feels a wave of nostalgia crawl up his spine, it settles over his chest. The feeling isn’t uncomfortable but it’s not something Jongin can simply shrug away. 

“I was thinking, since I like flowers and so did she, I could open it for the both of us. It would be a lot of work, but maybe with you beside me, it wouldn’t be so bad.” He finishes off, glancing over at the Fae. Kyungsoo once again stops, his body freezing completely. 

“What?” His voice is soft and quiet when he speaks. Jongin turns to see his wide eyes looking up at him. 

“What do you mean ‘what’?” He asks in return. Jongin’s palms feel cold all of a sudden, his heart picking up its pace. Kyungsoo’s mouth falls open wider like he’s trying to speak but it’s growing too difficult. 

“Did you really say that?” Jongin lets out a strange noise, suddenly feeling nervous.

“Did I?” He questions himself, should he have asked a question like that so soon?

“Did you?” Instead of growing more firm, Kyungsoo's voice gets as shaky as Jongin’s heart feels. They fall silent for a few seconds, even the birds stopped singing in the sky.

“Yes?” He says, the word tinged with a question. He gauges Kyungsoo's reaction, the smaller not really moving or saying anything. An array of emotions flash across Kyungsoo’s face before settling on confusion.

“You're serious?” He asks, his eyes connecting with Jongin’s. 

“I’m serious.” He answers with no hesitation.  
“That’s something you want?” Kyungsoo's lips stretch into a wide grin, his eyes turning into small crescents and his cheeks shine. Jongin nods.

“Kyungsoo squeals, jumping softly and wrapping his arms around Jongin neck. Jongin catches him in his grasp, his hands resting on Kyungsoo's waist. They pull each other in tight, their body heat mingling together.

“Can we plant more heliotropes?” Kyungsoo asks, his voice warm near Jongin's ear. He smiles softly, the happiness he's feeling bleeding into the seams of his being. 

“We can plant as many as you want, Kyungsoo.” He tightens his hold on Kyungsoo, holding him tightly as possible without squishing him too much. There’s an odd feeling spreading through him, as though if he were to let go, Kyungsoo would simply disappear.   
“Thank you, Kyungsoo.” He whispers softly, his eyes closing tight. Kyungsoo hums questioningly, trying to draw away but Jongin keeps him in place.

“You've done so much for me, I can't tell you just how grateful I am. Thank you.” Kyungsoo feels himself practically melt in the talker’s arms, his body feeling fuzzy and warm. 

“I should be thanking you silly.” He squeezes him before relaxing. He plays with the hairs at the back of Jongin head, the soft locks flutter through his fingers. Jongin crashes their lips together, everything he’s feeling bleeds into the kiss. This sort of thing still feels odd and new to him, but he can slowly feel himself getting used to this, the Fae feels good to him, like taking medicine when you have a cold. It’s weird and unpleasant at first, but you can feel it healing you.

The kiss deepens and their lips move together as one, their lips caressing each other. Jongin’s teeth nip at the Fae’s bottom lip, drawing a deep sigh out of him.

Of all the things that could have happened this summer, neither of them could have imagined this would transpire in the coming season. Though they happily accept, it seems almost unreal.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter: peachiedo  
> Tumblr: dyodorant  
> AFF: _dyodorant


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